Electric vehicles such as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) may include an internal combustion engine and an electric motor which provide locomotion to the vehicle. A rechargeable battery may be connected to the electric motor to supply electrical current to the motor. A controller connected to the engine and the motor may be programmed to apportion or balance the amount of torque which is provided by the engine and the motor to the wheels of the vehicle during vehicle operation. Due to the drive assistance which is provided by the electric motor, operation of an HEV may be more fuel efficient than operation of vehicles which utilize an internal combustion engine only.
The battery of a plug-in HEV is periodically recharged with electrical power at the home or office of the vehicle operator or at some other charging destination. Currently, however, for various reasons such as vehicle performance, vehicle drivability, battery charge balance, or other reasons known to those skilled in the art, utilization of the internal combustion engine of the HEV may continue throughout all charging conditions of the vehicle battery, even as the vehicle approaches the charging destination. Although utilization of the internal combustion engine may be justified during most driving conditions, it may needlessly result in excess fuel consumption if off board charging is imminent.
Therefore, a charge utilization control system and method which facilitate increased utilization of electrical charge stored in a vehicle battery and reduced or terminated fuel consumption as the vehicle approaches a charging destination are needed to conserve fuel.